


(Don't) Look

by Hinganbachuru (Twilight_Joltik)



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: Appearance-based Self-Consciousness, Bullying, Jared is finally a level 5 boyfriend and can unlock Luke's tragic backstory, Look I'm writing angst again are you all proud?, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 00:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9467489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilight_Joltik/pseuds/Hinganbachuru
Summary: Luke's not entirely over some things that were said to him by an old friend. Jared's not entirely certain what he said to set Luke off.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I shared a headcanon about Luke with my good friendo electricmindart, and he pretty much gave me an entire idea for a fic based on it. So, here's a fic based on it. Enjoy.

“You’re absolutely gorgeous, you know?”

 

His blood froze, but Jared kept smiling, gazing into his eyes, not seeing a single thing wrong with the scene. 

 

“Every last thing about you. And your eyes… they’re the most beautiful thing there is.”

 

“No…” He felt sick. No, why was he saying that? Why was Jared saying that? Didn’t he know? Was he trying to… no, he wouldn’t, right? But that’s what he thought about...

 

Jared finally seemed to notice something was wrong- his eyes shot open and he pulled his hand back from Luke’s arm. “I mean, of course, that’s only icing on the cake!”, he quickly assured him. “You’re an amazingly talented person to begin with, and one of the nicest I know!”

 

Even that made his stomach churn a bit. It sounded too much like backpedalling, like a forced apology, insincere and meaningless. 

 

He backed away, leaving Jared biting his lip as if searching for something proper to say. “I- ah, I’m sorry, what did I say?”, he questioned.

 

A conversation he’d replayed a thousand times in his head started up again. 

 

_ (“Why is everyone gone today?” “Haven’t you noticed? They’ve all been leaving!” “Of course I’ve noticed! But… I didn’t think they all would.”) _

 

There wasn’t an easy answer to that. Just an easy out. 

 

“I- um, I’ve got to go…”

 

_ (“Well of course, this club’s gotten boring!” “It has?” “Of course! Are you really too thick to see that?”) _

 

He ended up back at his room without thinking. His roommate was out, thank God, so he could just curl up without thinking.

 

_ (“...what?” “No one cares but you! And that’s just because you’re a complete sap!” “I’m not… Why are you saying this?”) _

 

He wanted it to be without thinking.

 

_ (“Ugh, you’re so… annoying!” “Come on, don’t say that! We’re friends!” “Don’t have to keep up that act anymore. It’s over. This club is over.”) _

 

It was hard to properly convince himself that Jared couldn’t have known, that he’d never told Jared about it, that Jared would have never done that on purpose, but he tried. And it worked, at least it worked enough. 

 

Well, enough that, when, inevitably, there was a knock on his door, he called “come in!” instead of pretending to not be there.

 

“Luke, if you want me to leave, I will,” Jared started softly. “But, I want to know what happened, if you feel like you can tell me.”

 

He couldn’t find the words until Jared started to turn away. 

 

_ (“No, wait! Please, don’t go!” “Why not?” “Come on! You’re kidding, right? We were friends… right?”) _

 

The panic rose in his throat- he wanted him to stay. “No, don’t leave, please,” he begged- no, asked. “I- I’ll try to explain…”

 

It started slow, after Jared sat next to him and put his hand on top of Luke’s. “I was in another club before Hidden Block… A music club… They said… they were my friends… but…”

 

_ (“Luke, none of us actually enjoyed having you around.” “Then why…” “Why would we keep you around?”) _

 

“They were assholes?”, Jared finished for him. 

 

Luke nodded. “I didn’t see it until it was too late, though.”

 

Fingers laced around his own. “So, did they say something about how you looked?”

 

The words burned in his ears, in his eyes, in the back of his throat. He didn’t want to think them but

 

_ (“Look at yourself! You’re eye candy, that’s pretty much all!” “You’re obnoxious and annoying and won’t shut up! There’s no other reason to let you stick around!” “Your eyes are incredible, but, that’s about the only thing you’ve got going for you.”) _

 

“That it was all I was worth.”

 

Jared’s face fell, and he shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

 

“You didn’t know,” Luke assured him. “You couldn’t have.”

 

He shook his head. “Still, there’s so much more to you than that. Even if-”

 

That sentence ended without finishing, but Luke could guess what the rest was. “Even if that’s what I first noticed, you’re more than that.” It had to be. Why else would Jared Nadeshiko have ever even looked his way?

 

Still, if that was why Jared first looked his way, he supposed that’d have made his eyes good for something, even if they were overflowing with tears at the thought. 

 

But, as he was sure Jared was about to say something more, he instead found Jared’s fingers lightly running down his cheek. It was slow and methodical, but strangely reassuring. 

 

“You’re worth far more than that, Luke,” Jared softly assured him. “After all, you’re helping me see I’m more than my appearance.”

 

Was that supposed to be reassuring? He knew Jared was trying, at least, but it felt a lingering doubt burning in his mind. 

 

No, Jared was trying to say he could relate, and not in a making-it-all-about-me way. He doubted him too much. 

 

More tears welled up in his eyes. Jared leaned in and kissed right under his eyes as if trying to kiss them away. “I’m not good at this reassuring thing,” Jared whispered, clearly trying to sound sweet. “But, just tell me what you need and I’ll try.”

 

“I’m not sure,” Luke admitted. “Just… a hug, I guess.”

  
Arms wrapped around him and a kiss brushed against his lips. “I’ll give you all of those you need.”


End file.
